Posts Tagged ‘social equality’

The RECHARGE Scheme™ is about encouraging local businesses and organisations to provide a power point so you can recharge the battery on your electric wheelchair or scooter, if required. The Scheme was first developed in the Shire of Nillumbik. It is a Disability Services Community Building Program initiative (Metro, Rural and DeafAccess), supported by the Victorian Department of Human Services, in partnership with Local Government. Thousands of organisations and businesses are also proud program partners.

RECHARGE was developed in response to the increasing number of people in Nillumbik with restricted mobility using electric scooters or wheelchairs as a means of transportation. Negotiating the steep roads and footpaths of the area however means that batteries run low more quickly and deter people from travelling longer distances. Through the MetroAccess initiative, we have been able to respond to these needs and draw on the strengths of Local Government and the Community to ensure people who use an electric scooter or wheelchair have more opportunities to participate in their communities.

Based on the community need and subsequent success of the Scheme, many other Victorian councils are joining forces to encourage local businesses and organisations in their area to participate. In November 2010, the RECHARGE Scheme™ received a Commendation by The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI), as part of its ‘Bold Ideas, Better Lives Challenge’ for a proposed national roll out plan. This is the first significant step towards securing an appropriate Sponsor to fund the national roll out. Pending funding, the Scheme would rolled out Australiawide from 2012.

RECHARGE stickers are displayed on the windows of participating businesses so you can easily find them. There are also RECHARGE stickers placed above or near power points so you can quickly ascertain which power point has been designated for your use. The RECHARGE website also maintains a list of accessibility resources, and the RECHARGE finder lists recharge points in greater Melbourne.

A Food Waste Workshop was held at the Sustainable Cities Round Table – Waste Not Want Not, 24 September 2008. Three key organisations redistribute food that is still edible to people in need: SecondBite, FareShare (previously One Umbrella) and VicRelief Foodbank. Participants at the Sustainable Cities Round Table received a five minute explanation of the key issues of the growing food waste issue that links to poverty, hunger and urban environmental issues, and then worked together in small teams to answer the following four questions.

1. Can you think of ways to help better manage these issues of food waste redistribution 2. Can you think of opportunities that could occur across the city system? ie. in terms of transport, water, urban planning, etc 3. Can you think of ways to reduce the amount of food that is generated further up the chain 4. Can you think of new opportunities or businesses that could emerge from the topics mentioned above?

The responses from the fourth question are listed below.

Key issues: 1. Awareness – that food rescue agencies exist and have the capacity to collect surplus food, so we can start making a dint on the amount of good quality nutritious food that goes to waste. 2. Funding – the cost to run our organisation is increasing, and will continue to do so. This is of vital importance as we begin to tackle to problem on a much larger scale. Collaboration, information sharing and pooling of resources will be key in addressing this. 3. Logistics – Not so much a problem but an area that will need a lot of focus (money!) and collaboration as we implement statewide strategies, incorporating multiple agencies and both internal and external logistics companies.

4. Can you think of new opportunities or businesses that could emerge from the topics mentioned above? Start producing organic varieties so as to encourage people to go for healthy food instead of junk food Set up brown fields with in house treatment of various types of waste and set up a centralized distribution network for recycled products Opening as business/restaurant, sourcing form â€œdumpsterâ€ Council compost business More urban garden spaces

A Food Waste Workshop was held at the Sustainable Cities Round Table – Waste Not Want Not, 24 September 2008. Three key organisations redistribute food that is still edible to people in need: SecondBite, FareShare (previously One Umbrella) and VicRelief Foodbank. Participants at the Sustainable Cities Round Table received a five minute explanation of the key issues of the growing food waste issue that links to poverty, hunger and urban environmental issues, and then worked together in small teams to answer the following four questions.

1. Can you think of ways to help better manage these issues of food waste redistribution 2. Can you think of opportunities that could occur across the city system? ie. in terms of transport, water, urban planning, etc 3. Can you think of ways to reduce the amount of food that is generated further up the chain 4. Can you think of new opportunities or businesses that could emerge from the topics mentioned above?

The responses from the third question are listed below.

Key issues: 1. Awareness – that food rescue agencies exist and have the capacity to collect surplus food, so we can start making a dint on the amount of good quality nutritious food that goes to waste. 2. Funding – the cost to run our organisation is increasing, and will continue to do so. This is of vital importance as we begin to tackle to problem on a much larger scale. Collaboration, information sharing and pooling of resources will be key in addressing this. 3. Logistics – Not so much a problem but an area that will need a lot of focus (money!) and collaboration as we implement statewide strategies, incorporating multiple agencies and both internal and external logistics companies.

3. Can you think of ways to reduce the amount of food that is generated further up the chain? Impart training to restaurants/chefs etc. to design/devise energy efficient recipes which can be easily adapted even in households Change farmer contract â€“overproduction of crops Eating seasonally Restaurants (less over supplying, reduced portion, better storage) Cultural change (what people think is acceptable to buy ie. blemishes on fruit/veg)

A Food Waste Workshop was held at the Sustainable Cities Round Table – Waste Not Want Not, 24 September 2008. Three key organisations redistribute food that is still edible to people in need: SecondBite, FareShare (previously One Umbrella) and VicRelief Foodbank. Participants at the Sustainable Cities Round Table received a five minute explanation of the key issues of the growing food waste issue that links to poverty, hunger and urban environmental issues, and then worked together in small teams to answer the following four questions.

1. Can you think of ways to help better manage these issues of food waste redistribution 2. Can you think of opportunities that could occur across the city system? ie. in terms of transport, water, urban planning, etc 3. Can you think of ways to reduce the amount of food that is generated further up the chain 4. Can you think of new opportunities or businesses that could emerge from the topics mentioned above?

The responses from the second question are listed below.

Key issues: 1. Awareness – that food rescue agencies exist and have the capacity to collect surplus food, so we can start making a dint on the amount of good quality nutritious food that goes to waste. 2. Funding – the cost to run our organisation is increasing, and will continue to do so. This is of vital importance as we begin to tackle to problem on a much larger scale. Collaboration, information sharing and pooling of resources will be key in addressing this. 3. Logistics – Not so much a problem but an area that will need a lot of focus (money!) and collaboration as we implement statewide strategies, incorporating multiple agencies and both internal and external logistics companies.

2. Can you think of opportunities that could occur across the city system? Ie. in terms of transport, water, urban planning, etc. Edible landscape â€“ trees with edible fruits and parks Community gardens Grow your own Information systems about where excess food is to cut down the length and time of transport (something similar to the op shop blog)

A Food Waste Workshop was held at the Sustainable Cities Round Table – Waste Not Want Not, 24 September 2008. Three key organisations redistribute food that is still edible to people in need: SecondBite, FareShare (previously One Umbrella) and VicRelief Foodbank. Participants at the Sustainable Cities Round Table received a five minute explanation of the key issues of the growing food waste issue that links to poverty, hunger and urban environmental issues, and then worked together in small teams to answer the following four questions.

1. Can you think of ways to help better manage these issues of food waste redistribution 2. Can you think of opportunities that could occur across the city system? ie. in terms of transport, water, urban planning, etc 3. Can you think of ways to reduce the amount of food that is generated further up the chain 4. Can you think of new opportunities or businesses that could emerge from the topics mentioned above?

The responses from the first question are listed below.

Key issues: 1. Awareness – that food rescue agencies exist and have the capacity to collect surplus food, so we can start making a dint on the amount of good quality nutritious food that goes to waste. 2. Funding – the cost to run our organisation is increasing, and will continue to do so. This is of vital importance as we begin to tackle to problem on a much larger scale. Collaboration, information sharing and pooling of resources will be key in addressing this. 3. Logistics – Not so much a problem but an area that will need a lot of focus (money!) and collaboration as we implement statewide strategies, incorporating multiple agencies and both internal and external logistics companies.

1. Can you think of ways to help better manage these issues of food waste redistribution? Bring the people to the food Community kitchens for both rich and poor, ie. all sections of societies Target big users, ie. colleges